Jade Cargill Initially Expected To Face A Different Opponent At WWE WrestleMania 42

"The Storm" Jade Cargill wants to prove each and every time she's in the ring why the company did the right thing in choosing her as its WWE Women's Champion. However, the challengers she tests herself up against have gradually gone from up and coming household names to already over and established immortals, like her upcoming WrestleMania 42 opponent, Rhea "Bloody" Ripley. Despite the excitement surrounding this colossal showdown, "Mami" wasn't the champion's first pick to go head-to-head with at this year's "Showcase of the Immortals."

"We've always teased Charlotte Flair since day one. And every time I had a face-to-face with this girl, we got a huge reaction," Cargill said in her interview on "The Joe Budden Podcast." "I've had, maybe, two face offs with Rhea. The reaction? It was a total difference in reaction here. I would think that we'll build more to Rhea 'cause we don't have history. Not saying Charlotte and I have history, but there's been more of a reaction with Charlotte and I having attitude and yelling at each other... I think that would have been an easier route. But I believe the reason we went this route is because it's more money that's going to be made going against Rhea."

Before they see each other in Las Vegas next Sunday, Cargill had to get a few last digs in on her opponent, by calling the fifth-ever Women's Grand Slam Champion a "backed and built talent by WWE." Regarding "The Queen," if Cargill remains the champion, she would love to pick up where she and Flair last left off, preferably at SummerSlam in August. These two have been circling one another with tense staredowns since Cargill joined WWE on October 13, 2023.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Joe Budden Podcast." with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.